Panel to examine event permit ordinanceThe Russellville City Council will suggest a committee of aldermen during its regular meeting Wednesday to update an ordinance that deals with events such as parades or marches in the city. The problem? Things have changed quite a bit since 1968, when the ordinance was adopted. Back then, the size of Russellville was half of what it is today, and police only worked a couple or three events a year, if that many — mostly parades. “Fast forward 4...

Johnson sheriff releases statement on fallen deputyCLARKSVILLE — The suspect in the shooting death of a Johnson County reserve deputy sheriff will have a bond hearing Monday. David Gibbons, prosecuting attorney for the Fifth Judicial District, said Saturday a bond hearing for Fred Kauffeld, 51, held in the Pope County Detention Center, will take place Monday afternoon. Reserve Deputy Sonny Smith, 42, was shot early Friday after confronting the suspect when Smith and other deputies responded to...

A little heart to heartSt. Mary’s Regional Medical Center Cardiologist Dr. Rasool Shuja (right) recently visited with students in Johnny Ayres’ Pre-AP science class to teach them about the heart. Shuja presented information on the different chamber of the heart, dissected pig hearts with the students, and discussed what a cardiologist does with items such as pace makers, heart catheters and stints.

Felkins resigns from Clarksville School BoardCLARKSVILLE — The School Board accepted the resignation of member Bill Joe Felkins during its regular meeting Wednesday. The board appointed Bobby Freeman to serve as board member for the remainder of Felkins’ term. In other business, Clay Austin was appointed as disbursing officer for the district. Freeman Wish and Superintendent Dr. David Hopkins briefly discussed financing methods for the proposed new high school, but no action was taken. T...

Fire officials report blaze at hotel was caused by electronics problemRussellville firefighters responded to a structure fire at 2:35 a.m. on Friday at the Clarion Hotel at 2407 N. Arkansas Ave. Upon arrival, the firefighters found smoke and fire coming from the roof area of the main building. Firefighters were able to enter the structure with ladders, quickly extinguishing the fire and confining it to the soffit area on the structure’s east side. The area of the structure affected by the fire saw moderate damag...

Johnson County deputy fatally shotCLARKSVILLE — The Johnson County Sheriff’s Department and law enforcement agencies throughout Arkansas are mourning the death of an 11-year veteran who was killed early Friday. Reserve Deputy Sonny Smith, 42, responded to a reported burglary with other deputies after the Sheriff’s Department received a telephone report at approximately 1 a.m. Friday in the area of County Road 1723, about 15 miles east of Clarksville. According to the Arkansas ...

Cook has life saved twice at Saint Mary'sTo have your life saved once is a blessed oddity in itself. To have it saved twice falls somewhere between divine providence and brilliant chance. But for the same hospital to be the intervening hand once in 1934 and again in 2015? Throw the odds out the window. You can’t plug this story into an equation. When Richard Cook was 5 years old living in Augsburg, in those times a small German-speaking community a few miles northwest of Russellville...

RJHS wins language competitionFOR THE COURIER The Russellville Junior High Spanish Club received 16 trophies at the Arkansas World Language Competition held at Harding University on April 11. The students won six first place awards and placed third in the skit, “Tres Corazones” (Three Hearts), which is about famous legendary Spanish speakers. RJHS also competed in the talent portion and showcased the dance styles of the Cuban Rumba. The following students won awards at the...

Yell court OKs road equipment, ordinance DANVILLE — Judge Mark Thone gave his update on the construction of the Yell County jail complex, and the Justices of the Peace approved the lease of road equipment and an appropriation ordinance during the Quorum Court’s regular meeting. “Progress on the jail is proceeding, but the weather has caused some delays and made the area around the job site extremely muddy,” Thone said. “It has just been a mess.” The rain has also caused serious probl...

Ending balance ‘safe’ for HSDHECTOR — Superintendent Walt Davis presented the Hector School Board its monthly financial report Tuesday, and noted the district’s ending balance was slightly below projection. He attributed it to increased fuel costs and other expenses, but said Hector’s “revenue stream was consistent.” “I don’t ever want to say we’re ‘safe,’” he said, “but I think we are.” The board met a day later than scheduled because of an inability to achieve a quorum ...

U of O Alumni Board adds seven new directorsCLARKSVILLE — Seven new members have been elected to the University of the Ozarks’ Alumni Association Board of Directors. Brandon Carlson ’10, Whitney Lewis ’14, Gary Perry ’74, George Pittenger ’91, Luis Sanchez ’08, Courtney Taylor ’09, and Bruce Williams ’43, were elected during the April board meeting. They will begin their three-year terms on July 1. Carlson, of College Station, Texas, works as a community director at Texas A&M University...

Alderman wants to clean up AtkinsATKINS — First-term Alderman Bro Price submitted petitions signed by residents to clean up four properties during Tuesday’s regular meeting. The petitions — which were full of names and related to properties on West Main Street, Northeast Second Street and Avenue 1 Northeast — were turned into City Clerk Michelle Brown and will be given to each council member to be added to the agenda for the June 9 meeting. “When I was running for alderman la...

News Briefs (May 15, 2015)Registration for Maxwell Memorial Golf Tournament The 2015 Swinging For a Cure Lt. Stan Maxwell Memorial Golf Tournament will begin at 9 a.m. on May 30 at the Chamberlyne Country Club in Danville. The tournament, which is a four-person scramble, costs $100 per person. For more information, call Karen Yarbrough at (479) 280-9069 or Shane Jones at (479) 747-7573. Call for ‘Poppins’ auditions today Auditions for the Arkansas Valley Arts Center pr...

Big Red Drive-In now up for saleBY SEAN INGRAM www.couriernews.com The Big Red Drive-In on South Arkansas Avenue closed on an afternoon in late January not because of an early closing time, but because “We just ran out of food,” Jo Ann Scott said. The sign out front reads “Closed for Remodeling.” But she and her father, Keith Williams, confirmed recently that the 50-year-old restaurant had its lights, ovens and ice cream machine turned off for good. Scott said while it was “...

ASB OKs updated policiesATKINS — The Atkins School Board compiled a list of potential facility improvements and updated its bereavement and professional leave policies during its regular meeting on Monday. All board members were present during the 30-minute facility tour that kicked off the meeting. Superintendent Mark Gotcher said expanding the press box windows, resealing the K-8 parking lot and various improvements for appearance are being considered for approval....

River Valley Rewind: May 14, 2015Editor’s note: The Courier will turn back the clock each week to take a glance at various people and events featured in the publication decades ago. The following picture is presented with the original caption as was published in the Courier-Democrat in 1973. Juddy Tolson, a member of the Cavaliers Men’s organization and junior at Arkansas Tech, gives his donation to the Pope County Unit’s Red Cross blood drive. Assisting with the drive are, f...

News Briefs (May 14, 2015)PCCA to meet The Pope County Cattlemen’s Association (PCCA) will meet today at 7 p.m. at the Russellville First Assembly of God Fellowship Hall for its regular monthy meeting. Mans Implement Company will present a program and sponsor the meal. All members, their families and other interested persons are invited to attend. Members are asked to bring potluck desserts. For more info about the meeting or joining Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association (A...

Council, Alliance meeting in worksMembers of the Russellville City Council said Tuesday they still want to meet with the Arkansas Valley Alliance for Economic Development (AVAED) about the city’s annual contract with the organization. Renewing the contract between the city and AVAED has been on hold since January, when a Pulaski County Circuit Court Judge Mackie Pierce ruled that the arrangements with the chambers of commerce, the Metro Little Rock Alliance and the North Littl...

RJHS students use model car project to make learning stickStudents at Russellville Junior High School finally heard those magic words only eighth graders pent up in a classroom for the past 9 months understand the value of — “We’re going outside today!” Summer Sanchez and other eighth-grade math teachers are collaborating on a two-week model car project, which allows their students to measure first Hot Wheels and then real vehicles and draw their own depictions using scaled measurements. The students...